PRW March 2016 Post – Senator Curt Bramble

PRW was very pleased to have Senator Curt Bramble as the featured speaker in March. Senator Bramble is a member of the Utah State Senate, representing the State’s 16th Senate District in Provo. Elected in 2000, Senator Bramble is in his third term where he currently serves as Chair of the Senate Revenue and Taxation Standing Committee and Co-Chair of the Legislative Information Technology Steering Committee. Curt is also a member of the Business and Labor Standing Committee, Retirement and Independent Entities Committee, and the Business, Economic Development and Labor Appropriations Subcommittee.

Senator Bramble believes that elected officials have a sacred obligation to represent their districts. Accountability is important of what they did … not just that they did it. He is very passionate about our Founding Fathers and what their vision was. In 1787, 55 men met at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Three “Miracles” occurred:

The Constitution (checks and balances)

Bill of Rights (individual rights)

“The Grand Compromise”

The Grand Compromise happened because 55 principled men (who didn’t always agree) set aside animosity, engaged in passionate dialogue, and compromised. Enough signed to bring forward a governing agreement for a new nation.

Senator Bramble is confident that we can learn from the past and apply those principles to the present. We are all Americans and need to find American solutions to American problems. Elements of a principled compromise is that everyone at the table can grab hold of something…we have a win out of this. Polarization accomplishes nothing. Let’s have discussion and debate and do what the Founders set the example of…even if we need to stay at the table until we find the best compromise, in spite of individual issues.

Senator Bramble then discussed sales tax on remote purchases. How this tax is collected has been in debate…goes back to the Quill case (physical presence needed).

A final question wrapped up the discussion: What is the stand to repeal the 17th Amendment?

Answer: Senator Bramble believes it is not a good amendment to begin with. To repeal it would require a Constitutional Convention and it could spin out of control. The Constitution would have to be amended and he doesn’t see this happening soon. But it does send the message of “Trying to reign in a federal government out of control.”